Loose Lips
by rlylaughable
Summary: If eyes are windows to the soul, their souls are somewhere in Mexico. ChadRyan. SLASH. Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Man, a lot of my writing is born of boredom and 80s flicks. This time? Fall break and 'Heathers'. Enjoy._

_Update: I started writing this a few months ago, and the Rockies have lost the World Series and the baseball season is over. So, uh, it's a little outdated. I'd also like to warn you that I kind of suck hardcore at slash, so I'm sorry if this, well, sucks hardcore._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Plz don't sue me!_

-----------------

Chad detested this school. Sure, he said, "Go Wildcats!" and wore the red and white and everything, but really, this school was stupid. Everyone was grinning with their white teeth all the time. Everyone was involved with wholesome extracurricular activities. They really needed some drug addicts or transvestites. A single sociopath would suffice, Chad supposed.

_The sociopath would be a girl. _Chad quickly added in his mind.

"Chad?" Troy said. Chad sighed inwardly. Troy's face got really old after a while, especially his adorable sad puppy eyes.

_Adorable?_ Chad decided to not pursue this momentary gayness with further consideration.

"Yeah?"

"Who are all these new kids?"

Chad rolled his eyes discreetly.

"The district is busing, remember? Trying to diversify the school?" He was tempted to smack Troy upside the head with a "Dumbass."

"Oh." Troy said.

The bell rang. Chad was happy to be rid of Troy, for a few hours, at least. He was even happier that it was time for first period, and first period was French, and he had French with Ryan. He had come to accept that Ryan was actually a pretty cool guy. Granted, he'd never _admit _it to anyone, ever, but he still accepted it.

Chad quietly walked the halls, praying he wouldn't be stopped by one of those inane teammates of his. He really wanted to one day yell, during an STD assembly, "I'm only on the team because it looks good on college applications!" But then the world would explode or something.

He finally arrived at his class, and took a seat in the back left corner, behind Ryan, who turned and grinned.

"Have a fun conversation with Troy?"

"Oh yeah, always."

Chad heard muffled squealing. He looked to his right, where the noise appeared to be coming from. A couple of the new girls were looking at him and Ryan, beaming pathologically. They didn't even pretend to not be staring. Chad decided to ignore this. It was too early to deal with the mentally ill.

He turned back to Ryan.

"Did you watch the Rockies game last night like I asked?"

Ryan grinned very sexily. _Not gay._

"Yes. It gave me horrible Little League flashbacks, but yes, I did."

"And?"

"And what? I don't care enough to have a formulated opinion!"

Chad sighed.

"You don't care that the Rockies kick ass like nobody's business?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"It's about their less-than-stylish hats, isn't it? I always knew you were a hat elitist."

"I gotta be me."

They laughed. The bell rang. Ryan turned, as the teacher began to talk. Chad couldn't make himself stop smiling, especially about the Paul Anka reference.

A small paper triangle landed on his desk. He opened it quietly, as to avoid being caught with a note.

'_KISS HIM ALREADY!!!!'_

Chad read it a few more times. Was it really that obvious? It couldn't be. He worked so hard to hide it…

_But I'm not hiding anything. _He looked around, trying to figure out who wrote this. Those two girls were still staring at him, still grinning. Chad rolled his eyes.

_They're just crazy._

Or really observant.

_Whatever. Either way, it's just them. No one else knows._

Just keep telling yourself that.

_Oh, shut up._

You shut up!

Chad attempted to distract himself from the bickering match in his head by focusing on French, which suddenly became the most boring language ever.

_Why did I even sign up for this class? _Chad regretted thinking this immediately.

Ryan.

_You be quiet._

Truth hurts, huh?

_I said be quiet!_

Fine. But I'll be back. We both know it.

Chad sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chad realized that he hadn't seen Ryan in the cafeteria this year. Sharpay had probably manipulated an administrator into letting the two of them eat in the teacher's lounge or something, after the food-spilling-on-her incident last year. Chad tried to not be bothered, but he wanted to see Ryan more. They only had a couple of classes together, and Chad felt the need to expand his social repertoire.

At least, that was his excuse.

_Whatever. I'm still stuck here, no matter the reason._

"Hey guys," Zeke said, "How much would you pay me to eat a grasshopper?"

Enter a minute of serious pondering.

"Five bucks," Jason finally said. The others gave various grunts of agreement. Chad rolled his eyes.

"Each or total?" Zeke asked. Eye rolling was not enough to express Chad's disdain, but he did it anyway.

"Total."

"Okay. Let's go find a grasshopper." Zeke bounced to his feet, followed by the team, and they ran outside.

"You coming, Chad?" Troy asked.

"Nah. It, uh, grosses me out." Chad nimbly lied.

Troy nodded and left. Chad slammed his head on the table.

"Comfy?" Chad looked up. Ryan, in all his fashion-forward glory, had taken a seat next to him. Chad grinned.

"After 45 minutes with the ol' Wildcats, medieval torture chambers are 'comfy'."

"Well, who would you rather be _related_ to, Troy or Sharpay?"

Chad considered this for a moment.

"Okay, you have it worse."

"Thank you."

"But the Wildcats are still really fucking annoying."

Ryan smirked.

"Ooh, bad boy, using the F word."

_God, that was hot._

"I know, right?"

"Right!"

There was a moment of silence.

"So where do you eat, anyway?" Chad asked.

"Art room. Sharpay doesn't want to be among the Great Unwashed."

"She really uses that phrase?"

Ryan snorted.

"No."

Chad grinned. Ryan reciprocated.

"Had me worried for a second there."

"I tend to have that effect on people, make them worry that I may spontaneously combust with awesome."

"You too?"

They laughed, and Chad had never felt so…free. Not at school, a place he had come to associate with oppression and conformity. And idiocy.

"I better go," Ryan said, standing, "Before your friends get back. See ya." He patted Chad's back as he walked away, causing Chad to pretty much melt.

_He touched me. Intentionally!_

But you're not gay.

…_that's contradictory, isn't it?_

Yup.

_Well…you're stupid!_

Brilliant retort there.

_Oh, shut up._

The team had returned.

"He really did it!" Troy said, "He ate a grasshopper!"

Zeke just grinned as everyone rejoiced over his bravery and strong gag reflex. Chad rolled his eyes. He did that a lot. He sometimes worried that he might pull a muscle, but didn't care enough to stop.

The bell rang.

_Hallelujah._

Chad left the table, unnoticed. He'd have to explain later, but whatever. He wandered the halls for a while, just kind of observing, before finding his way to Science. There was no one else in the room. First one to class. Didn't exactly coincide with his rep, but again, whatever.

He couldn't stop thinking about Ryan, as he leaned back in his chair, staring at the pocked ceiling.

_Maybe I am gay._

Finally!

_Or maybe Ryan's just an anomaly within my tendencies of attraction._

So close…

_I guess there's only one way to find out._

Kiss him?

_Yes._

…really?

_Yes._

…seriously?

_Yes._

Hah! I am vindicated! I am validated!

Chad sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chad had been anxious all night, and now came the moment of truth. He had asked Ryan to meet him in the English room on the first floor, whose teacher accepted bribes, so they were guaranteed to be alone.

He had been sitting on a desk for a few minutes now, glancing at the clock every few seconds. It was a nervous habit of his.

_Maybe he won't show up._

Maybe you're a dumbass.

_Couldn't resist, eh?_

Can I ever?

_True._

Would it really be better if he didn't show up?

…_I guess not._

Just suck it up. Literally!

_This is not the time!_

It's always the time. Always.

_Y'know what, y'know what…_

Chad didn't finish the thought, as the door was slowly creaking open.

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck…_

"Hey, Chad," Ryan cheerfully said.

"Hey," Chad managed to word vomit.

"What's up? Why'd you ask me here?"

"Um, well, erm…"

"Yeah?" Ryan asked, finally coming to a halt in front of Chad. He was in the perfect position.

_FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK…_

Do it! Do it now!

Without really knowing what he was doing, Chad lunged forward in the style of a wounded seal into Ryan's mouth. He lingered for a moment before pulling back. He kept his eyes to the ground, afraid of the look on Ryan's face.

_Why did I do that? Why did I think it was a good idea? What was I thinking?_

"Chad?" Ryan said. Chad slowly raised his eyes to Ryan's, repeating curse words in his mind. The eyes he saw began to close as they leaned in, and Chad felt some sort of pressure on his mouth.

_Is he?_

Yes!

_Fuck! What should I do?_

Kiss back! Kiss back!

Chad obeyed his mind's command, though that had never worked in the past.

Chad hadn't had a kiss like this before. Normally, it was just kind of a messy tangle of tongues and lips, but this one was…graceful. Ryan was good.

_Okay, really good._

Suddenly, Ryan pulled back, breathing heavily, as Chad was.

"What is it?" Chad asked, between pants.

"I heard something."

They looked to the door. There were ghosts of noses pressed to the window, but nothing else.

"What did you hear?"

"Sounded kind of like a dying pig."

"That's lovely."

They laughed. Chad felt strangely comfortable, considering he had just kissed another dude.

"So, uh, about that…" Ryan said.

Chad gulped.

"Yeah?"

"I am so glad you feel the same way."

…_huh?_

"Oh, uh…" Chad was cut off by Ryan kissing him again, which he did not resist, because he wanted to avoid that Important Conversation that eventually would need to be had, but preferably later. Like, a lot later.

Ryan backed them up, without breaking the kiss, pushing Chad against the wall.

A whole lot later.

The bell rang.

_God-fucking-damnit._

Ryan pulled away, much the Chad's chagrin.

"See you later." Ryan said, winking as he walked out the door. Chad waved, as he was too busy gasping for air to say anything.

Naturally, considering Chad's relationship with Murphy's Law, the two crazy squeal-y girls bounded through the door.

"We knew it! We just knew it!" The tall one squealed.

"Knew," Chad panted, "What?"

"That you and Ryan are gay for each other!" The round one squealed.

"Who are you?" Chad finally returned to a normal breathing rate.

"I'm Josie," The tall one said, "This is Maggie. We were bused in."

"But you're white."

"White people can be poor, too, you know."

"I didn't realize."

"It's a common misconception."

"Learn something new every day."

"Indeed."

"So is it really that obvious we're, uh, you know?" Chad nervously inquired.

The two grinned at each other.

"We're just super observant of these types of things." Maggie said.

"Or super delusional!" Josie chirped.

"Yeah!" Maggie said, going in for a high-five, which Josie reciprocated.

Chad smiled and nodded slowly as to not upset the crazy people before him.

"Well, time for class!" Maggie said, "See you later! You may or may not see us, though."

The two girls skipped away.

Chad sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thank you, everyone, for the reviews! They make me happy inside. You keep reviewing, I'll keep writing. Deal?_

_Sry, I'm watching 'Deal or No Deal'. I'll change to 'Sister, Sister'. Probably safer._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Plz don't sue me!_

-----------------

It had been one hour and 38 minutes since Chad had kissed Ryan, and the world hadn't ended. Yet. Chad was still completely expecting the autistic child to look up from the snow globe and that would be it.

You are one strange cookie.

_It's happened before!_

I suppose so. I actually went to that hospital once. Here's a tip: Get insurance.

…_I'm not even going to try to figure out how that works._

Chad was now in Pre-Calc, with none other than Josie, who was thankfully too busy arguing with the teacher about how many people Stalin killed to stare at Chad creepily. He didn't exactly know how they'd gotten from binomial theorem to Russian dictators, and he was a little too frightened of the whole situation to find out.

"The general consensus is 20 million!" Ms. Goodman yelled. Chad couldn't blame her for resorting to raising her voice. He'd have backhanded that Josie bitch by now.

"The general consensus in Germany was the Jews are evil, doesn't mean it's true! There's strong evidence that suggests it's more like 40 to 60 million! What about the Ukraine famine?"

"They ran out of food! He didn't cause that!"

"He cut off their food supply!"

"How can you prove that?"

Chad sighed.

_I seriously could not care less._

I hear ya.

Chad's thoughts slowly began to return to Ryan.

I think we all saw _that _one coming over the horizon.

_Hey, you're my thoughts, too. You contribute._

…touché.

With that out of the way, Chad daydreamed about the kiss. Er, kiss_es_. It may not have been as good as he remembered it…but it totally was. And Ryan felt the same way! Chad refrained from flailing with happiness, though it was rather difficult.

Come on. No one will notice.

_You can't peer pressure! You're me! Not my peer!_

You can't be your own peer?

_No…right?_

Why you ask me, foo?

_You can't be Mr. T either!_

You're no fun.

Thankfully, (oh, so thankfully) the bell rang, so Chad didn't have to think anymore. Thinking never turned out well for him, but he couldn't seem to stop. It was a real predicament.

Chad saw Troy leaning against a locker, maintaining his cool rep.

"Hey dude." Troy said.

"Hey."

"'Sup?"

"Not much. You?"

"Not much."

Silence. That was how the bulk of their conversations went.

Chad glanced to his right, and was pretty much horrified to see Ryan approaching.

"Hey, Troy," Ryan said.

"Hey," Troy uninterestedly said.

"Hey Chad," Ryan said, with a little more warmth.

_Fuck! What should I do?_

Why you ask me, foo?

_I said no more Mr. T! Help me!_

I don't know! Just be quiet, I guess!

_Oh, like that's gonna work._

Any better ideas?

…_fine._

"Chad? Chad? Hello, Chad? Earth to Chad?" Ryan waved in the aforementioned face.

Chad remained stoic. Ryan sighed.

"See you later, Troy."

Troy didn't respond, as he was staring at something shiny.

"Bye, Chad." Ryan spat, walking off.

Chad sighed.


	5. Chapter 5

"Why are you mad at me? I didn't want him to suspect anything!" Chad said, following Ryan.

"Yes, I'm sure your five minutes of stony silence threw him _well _off the trail."

He has a point.

_You're supposed to be on my side!_

Not when you're a dumbass.

_It was your idea!_

When has listening to me worked out?

_GAH!_

"I'm sorry!"

Ryan turned.

"Are you embarrassed of me?"

"Um…no?"

"Then what was that about?"

"Um, it's just, um…I don't know?"

"Why are you speaking in questions?"

"Uh…I'm really, really stupid?"

"Well, we can both agree on that."

"Good?"

"Stop it!"

Chad sighed.

"I'm sorry, seriously. This whole, uh, homosexuality thing is somewhat new to me."

Now Ryan sighed.

"It's okay, I guess. I'll give you another chance."

"I promise, I'll tell Troy soon."

"Good."

"So," Chad said, "Hey! An empty room!"

Ryan grinned. Chad grinned.

I'm grinning too, by the way.

_Too bad I'm in control of the face._

Yes. But not for long.

_What?_

Nothing!

Chad sighed as Ryan pushed him through the door.

-----------------

_A/N: I, ahem, borrowed the first two lines from 'Foxtrot'. If you don't have any of the books, get them. Bill Amend is a fucking genius._


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I finally broke my writer's block! I had to read some Mac/PC, which was bizarre, but I did it! Happy day! ((claps hands like a retard))_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Plz don't sue me!_

-----------------

"Chad?" Jennifer asked. Chad sighed. Six year olds were a little too inquisitive for his taste.

"Yeah?"

"What are you staring at?"

"I'm dramatically gazing into the distance as I ponder life's burning questions."

"What are those?"

"I don't know. Who am I? Does God exist? What happened to those Kris Kross kids? Does Jenny exist, and if so, what's her area code so I can call? Did Jim Morrison commit suicide? How can Matthew Gray Gubler be so incredibly amazing? What exactly is the appeal of Lynyrd Skynyrd?"

Jennifer looked puzzled. Chad sighed again. It was a bummer when people didn't get his references.

"It doesn't matter, sippin' on Jenn and juice."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Jennifer stood around for a while before getting bored and leaving. Chad hadn't told her what he was really thinking about. Or, rather, who.

Wow, you're predictable.

_Shut up, I'm trying to pine here!_

Can you really pine when you're with the person?

_Yes._

Are you sure?

_Yes. Time for you to be quiet now._

Whatever.

Chad often wondered if he was schizophrenic or something, what with the voice in his head. He'd never talk to a shrink about it, though. He could just imagine it.

"Now, what's the problem?"

"I hear voices in my head."

"What do they say?"

"Mostly comments dripping with dry wit. If something could drip with dryness, I mean."

"…" 

Chad decided to stop thinking about his possible severe mental illness and return to Ryan.

_Ryan._

His blue eyes. His crooked grin. His extensive collection of rakish hats. Chad couldn't help but love everything about him.

_Wait, love?_

Teenage confusion for the win!

_God, do you ever shut up?_

Um, no. Sucks to be you!

Chad sighed.

-----------------

"What's wrong?" Chad asked, pulling away from Ryan.

"What do you mean?" Ryan replied, breathing heavily, against the "Reading is Fun! Or Else" poster on the wall.

"You seem a little zealous. Not that it's unenjoyable or anything."

Ryan gave a modest laugh.

"It's nothing."

"Come on." Chad asked, starting to kiss Ryan again, "Tell me."

"I think Sharpay knows."

Chad stopped.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"She's dropping subtle hints. Like, 'I know you're making out with Chad in empty classrooms whenever you can and I'm going to tell everyone unless you pay me'."

"Sharpay was always the master of the understated."

"Indeed."

"So what are we gonna do?"

"Pay her, I guess." Ryan said with a shrug.

"How much is she asking for?"

"I don't know yet. She's gonna get back to me."

"Okay."

Ryan gave a solemn nod.

A moment of silence passed.

"So, where were we?" Ryan chirped. Chad grinned.

"Right here." Chad said, planting a kiss on Ryan's lips.

-----------------

"Hey guys," Zeke said, "How much would you pay me to watch the 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?' video on repeat for a half hour?"

The Wildcats' pensive faces were rather hilarious.

"Three bucks," Jason said. The rest gave various grunts of agreement.

"Okay. Let's go find a computer."

The team bounded away from the table.

"You coming, Chad?" Troy asked.

"No. Boy George's dance is, uh, creepy."

Troy gave a serious nod before leaving.

Chad rolled his eyes. The Wildcats had interesting ideas of measuring fortitude.

"Hey, Chad,"

Chad turned. There Ryan stood.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, really,"

"Has Sharpay gotten back to you?"

Ryan sat.

"Yeah. She asked for $150. I tried to tell her that was too much, but she wouldn't budge. She's given me a day to get the money."

"So, we're pretty much fucked?"

"Pretty much,"

Chad sighed.


	7. Chapter 7

BOOM.

Chad and Ryan both jerked.

"What the fuck was that?"

They walked to the window of the math classroom, to see Maggie and Josie booking it down the hall.

"Those girls…" Ryan said.

"I know. I know." Chad replied.

"Now that we've been interrupted," Chad said, "What's new with Sharpay?"

"Well…" Ryan said.

"Yeah?"

"I couldn't get the money. When I told her this, she silently walked away. A few hours later, there was a package in my locker. There was a severed ear inside."

"Wait, a real one?"

"A plastic one. Dumbass," Ryan playfully smacked Chad upside the head. Chad grinned and licked Ryan's hand as he retracted it.

"Gross!"

"Surely you're used to my tongue by now."

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"So Sharpay is familiar with 60s kidnapping cases?" Chad said.

"Or '21 Jump Street' episodes,"

"Or insane artists,"

"In any case, apparently so,"

"Huh. She just gained a couple points in my book."

"Same here,"

"So she's gonna tell."

"Yup,"

"Everyone,"

"Yup,"

"Okay. What should we do?"

"I was thinking go live in a cave. In San Francisco,"

"Where we'll be accepted,"

"Yeah,"

"If we can't get $150, how can we get enough money for airfare to Northern California?"

"Hitchhike?"

"Because that's safe,"

"Uh-huh,"

"Great," Chad said, "Good to know we have a plan."

"Indeed."

"But seriously?"

Ryan sighed.

"There's nothing we can do," he said.

Chad nodded.

"So I'm done for?"

"Hey, at least you aren't a senator. That would be way more embarrassing, and you'd be out of a job as well as a closet."

"I guess."

"And at least we have eachother."

"Yeah," Chad mumbled.

The warning bell rang. Ryan gave Chad a peck before leaving. Chad exasperatedly collapsed into a chair and slammed his head on the desk before it.

_Alright, hit me with a snarky comment._

I got nothing.

_Come on. I can take it._

Seriously. I feel for you.

_You? Sympathy? You're getting soft, dude._

It comes with age, I suppose.

_I suppose._

Don't worry, I'll have something next time.

_It's good to know there's a constant in my life._

I'm only here to help.

_Of course._

The late bell rang. Chad didn't care. His life was over, what was a detention?

Maggie skipped into the room.

"Hi Chad!" she chirped.

Chad gave a weary nod of acknowledgment.

"Why isn't anyone in here?"

"The teacher's only part-time. Doesn't work fifth and sixth period,"

Maggie nodded, maintaining her grin.

"What's wrong?" she asked, attempting to sound concerned, but she was still chirruping.

"Sharpay's going to tell everyone about me and Ryan, unless we can get $150."

"That's a bummer."

"What a drag." Chad replied.

It was quiet for a moment.

"Why aren't you in class?" Chad asked.

"Oh, I don't go to class."

"Why not?"

"I already know everything the teacher says,"

"Ah, to have such concerns,"

"It's a real burden."

"Then where do you go?"

"Usually the grocery store, down the street,"

"Mind if I join you?"

Chad could tell Maggie was trying not to squeal.

"Of course." She managed to squeak.

Chad sighed.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Sorry about the delay, this is all I got, but I felt I should post something. Hey, life! Whatcha got there? OUCH! OUCH! THAT'S MY BRAIN YOU'RE BLUDGEONING WITH SHARP, BLUDGEONY OBJECTS! R&R plz as I attempt to fight life and its bloodstained metal pipe off._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Plz don't sue me!_

-----------------

Chad was trying to not pay attention to Maggie, staring at him half of the time and asking people for lighters the other half.

"You smoke?"

"No. I just want to set shit on fire."

"Got it,"

Chad didn't mention that there was no way in hell anyone would give a lighter to the obese chick wearing goggles, partly because he felt bad for her and partly because of the off chance she'd get one, and that would be immensely entertaining for all involved, i.e. the two of them.

You are so gonna be a pyromaniac.

_And?_

And…you're stupid!

_Brilliant retort there._

I know, right?

_Right!_

Chad was really trying to not think about his situation with Sharpay, because he might start turning tricks out of desperation, and that could end badly in too many ways to count.

Oh, come on! You might get AIDS! Stereotypes for the win!

…_I'm not even going to respond to that._

You know I'm right.

Maggie sighed, out of disappointment and rejection.

"Want to go somewhere else?" she asked Chad.

"Sure," Moving would be a distraction. Distraction was good.

They wandered the streets for a while. Chad wondered what people passing were thinking about the two of them.

"Chad?"

"Yeah?"

"You need $150, right?"

"Yeah,"

"I have an idea."

Chad tried to not get his hopes up.

"I'm not becoming a hooker." Chad said.

"Well, that would work too, but this is better."

"Hit me."

"We should rob a convenience store."

Chad snorted.

"Good one."

"Seriously!"

"That would never work! Ever!"

"Why not? _Why not_?"

"You're not Johnny Depp. And because the only reason you think it would work is because you have 'Ocean's 11' memorized."

"…true. I'm just trying to help."

"Thanks, but I'd rather be publicly humiliated than go to prison."

"You're no fun."

"I know, but still."

Maggie nodded.

A few minutes of silence passed.

"We could kill Sharpay."

"No,"

"We could fill a mafia contract."

"No,"

"We could enter a high-stakes underground poker tournament."

"No,"

"We could enter a dancing contest."

"No,"

"You could make a bet with your friends."

Chad almost said no again, but then he thought about it.

"Like what?"

"Well, you couldn't do one $150 bet, because none of them have that kind of money. But you could do a series of $20 bets."

"The shit they would make me do…"

"Worth it?"

Chad pondered.

"Yes,"

"Okay. We should probably head back to school to put this plan into action. Good. Good." Maggie rubbed her hands together evilly.

"Why are you helping me?" Chad asked.

"I always try to help gay people."

"Well, thanks."

"Of course. Besides, this means you'll owe me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!"

Chad sighed.


End file.
